Orange has all-but conceded its UK broadband network had become a millstone round its neck, by agreeing a deal to piggyback on incumbent BT’s network.
BT will incorporate Orange’s network into its own infrastructure, granting the France Telecom-owned carrier nationwide coverage compared to the 65% penetration its own network offered, The Times reported.
Orange has taken the action after its subscriber base fell below one million for the first time in 2009, to 840,000 subscribers.
A spokesman for the carrier told Telecoms Europe that BT’s Wholesale division would build dedicated fixed-line network management systems, which would help the firm improve its current service and position it to leverage new network technologies.
“This will put us in a much stronger position to deliver on future opportunities, for instance, home TV and entertainment services, as well as to expand our fixed broadband service for business customers,” he said.
The carrier would have needed to invest heavily in its network to offer those services, The Daily Mail reports.